§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision she has made to ensure that Chardon LL maize will not be added to the National Seed List before arrangements have been made to restrict herbicide use
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October 2001 April 2002 April 2003 Defra 7,970 6,980 6,690 Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 480 500 530 Central Science Laboratory 580 610 650 Pesticides Safety Directorate 190 180 170 Rural Payments Agency1 — 2,940 2,870 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 1,160 1,230 1,290 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 110 120 120 Intervention Board Executive Agency 1,080 — — Total 11,570 12,560 12,320 1 The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) was created on 16 October 2001, and took over the functions and staff of the IBEA on 15 November 2001. on this crop in accordance with the advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment and English Nature. [160226]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 9 March 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on Tuesday 9 March 2004.
§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Chardon LL fodder maize has a greater value for cultivation and use than the conventional varieties from which it was bred. [160571]
§ Mr. MorleyThe value for cultivation and use of Chardon LL has not been compared with that of its parental lines or the equivalent non-GM variety. The criterion for addition to the UK National List is that it should, taking its qualities as a whole, represent a clear improvement compared with other forage maize varieties already on the UK List. Chardon has been assessed on this basis and found to meet the performance standards set to indicate a clear improvement.